Your company culture is just as important as your salary and benefits packages. Especially with the influx of Generation Y candidates your company will need to stay ahead of the competition to bring on the most talented new employees. Millennials are requiring a better work/life balance in a way that their Baby Boomer counter parts never did. Here are some small changes you can make today to improve your company culture and attract the top candidates.

Flexible hours and work from home options. Organizations are learning that their team wants more freedom. Employees are proving that they are responsible enough to handle it. Several flexible options are available for your company. Allow your team to choose their own start and end times which can help them beat rush hour traffic or be able to pick their kids up from school. Many companies are offering remote working arrangements. This could be 100% work from home or just few days to always have someone to cover the office. Some companies implement a “results oriented” workplace model. This means that the hours spent are not nearly as important as the successful completion of the work.

Community presence and volunteering. Social responsibility is a hot button issue for many young professionals entering the workforce. Millennials want to work for organizations who care about their community, the environment, and other social issues. Find a local cause to support by hosting fundraisers or organizing volunteer programs. Encourage employees to bring ideas to the office and develop social responsibility programs. Offer matches for charitable donations made by employees or replace your annual holiday gifts with a donation instead.

Collaborative environment and work space. Innovation is driven by collaboration. Generation Y have been raised in environments that encourage teamwork and they are bringing these skills to the office. Harness this energy to create a company culture that embraces shared ideas. Design your office to take advantage of communal spaces and start using collaborative tools, many of which are available for free such as Google Docs. Salesforce is also popular for collaborative workplaces.